


A Chance to Teach Again

by hiya_emblem (hiya_girlie)



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Byleth goes back to school, Everyone in the relationship tags is here, Female Byleth, Multi, Original Characters - Freeform, POV Alternating, Silver Snow/Blue Lions/Golden Deer AUish, The children of the original cast are the main focus
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-06
Updated: 2020-04-16
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:13:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 16,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21697492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hiya_girlie/pseuds/hiya_emblem
Summary: As the monarch of the United Kingdom of Fodlan, Byleth has never been busier, constantly worrying about internal and external politics. There are always things she doesn’t have time for but it’s a sacrifice she makes for her kingdom. Part of her longs for simpler times, when all she worried about was lesson plans and grading papers.When a letter arrives from Dimitri asking if she would be willing to teach his children, the moment she has been waiting for appears.And she will do anything she has to for a chance to teach again.~~~If you’re interested in art of the child characters I create for this story you can find me on Instagram at @hygirl_does_art.
Relationships: Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert/Petra Macneary, Caspar von Bergliez/Linhardt von Hevring, Cyril/Lysithea von Ordelia, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Marianne von Edmund, Dorothea Arnault/Felix Hugo Fraldarius, Edelgard von Hresvelg/Hubert von Vestra, Hilda Valentine Goneril/Claude von Riegan, Ingrid Brandl Galatea/Ignatz Victor, Leonie Pinelli/Lorenz Hellman Gloucester, Manuela Casagranda/Hanneman von Essar, My Unit | Byleth/Rhea, Raphael Kirsten/Bernadetta von Varley, Sylvain Jose Gautier/Mercedes von Martritz
Comments: 21
Kudos: 84





	1. Chapter 1

Byleth Eisner, the first monarch of the United Kingdom of Fodlan, sat at her desk in her office at Garreg Mach Monastery, looking over a report of activity in the old Empire territory from Ferdinand. When she’d just begun ruling, she would have gone and visited him personally, but she quickly found that there was a level of irritating protocol for travelling and being hosted that she preferred to avoid, so she accepted that writing and receiving letters was the best way to communicate. 

In a given day, she read anywhere from five to twenty of these reports, delivered from various parts and peoples of Fodlan, and recently she’d opened negotiations with Brigid, Almyra, and Albinea, and began receiving correspondences from the ambassadors she sent in her place. Her mind was constantly jumping around from one topic to the next, her hands ached from penning letters, and she hadn’t seen her wife in weeks because the archbishop was travelling. Sometimes she wished she could use the Divine Pulse and go back to simpler times.

Simpler times… 

She finished the report and set it down, picking up the next letter. It was from Dimitri, a surprise since she hadn’t gotten a letter from him in quite a while.

_ To my old friend, _

_ I write to ask a favor of you. I know with your current workload that what I’m asking of you is unreasonable, but I figured I would ask all the same. _

_ As you know, my children are of age to apply for entry into the Officer’s Academy. And while I in no way doubt the teaching ability of Hanneman, Manuela, and the other professors there, I hoped that you would consider taking some time off from your duty as monarch to return to the Academy for a year. I learned much from your instruction during my days at the Academy and wish that for Nicholas and Diana. _

_ Of course, I am aware of the ridiculousness of my request, but there is a small hope in me that you will at least consider it. _

_ Sincerely, _

_ Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd _

_ House Blaiddyd _

Byleth reread the letter, trying to process its contents with wide eyes. Go back to teaching? It was a fanciful wish. She didn’t have the time or energy to teach on top of ruling, and she already felt herself being stretched thin, trying to do too much at one time. But she knew Dimitri, and this was a serious request. A personal one, too.

Nicholas and Diana were the heirs of House Blaiddyd. Byleth had visited Dimitri and Marianne when they were born and had seen the twins a few times since then. They would be around eighteen now, ready to turn their studies to governing. Though House Blaiddyd was no longer a ruling family, they still had large portions of territory in the old Faerghus region and provided a good number of soldiers to the Army of the Green Dragon, the national army, and it would be important that the twins take the next step in their education.

“If only Rhea were here,” Byleth said aloud, sitting back in her chair and rubbing her eyes. The clock on the wall read 10:20 p.m and she wanted to go to bed. She stood, putting the letter away. Her office was on the second floor of the monastery and her room was on the third, so she would think about the request while she walked.

“Greetings, Monarch,” the guards said as she left her office. They were under orders from Seteth to keep watch outside her office, which she thought was ridiculous as she was one of the best warriors in Fodlan, but it was protocol, so she bit her tongue. Harold and Yerri were amiable fellows that she’d handpicked from the Knights of Seiros, and she’d known Yerri since her days as a teacher when he worked as a gatekeeper.

“Heading to bed?” Harold asked, bowing respectfully.

Byleth nodded. “Reading reports always makes me sleepy,” she said with a yawn. “You’re dismissed.”

They bowed to her once more before taking their leave. She walked to the staircase that would take her to the third floor and paused when her stomach growled. Had she missed dinner again?

Reluctantly she took the stairs down instead. Her legs protested like they did when she didn’t leave her office for hours and she ruefully realized she needed to spend more time at the training grounds. She had the Sublime Sword of the Creator with her, maybe she could stop for a few minutes after eating.

As she made her way to the dining hall, Byleth passed monks leaving the cathedral, discussing that evening’s sermon. She let out a heavy sigh. She missed another sermon. When her wife was here, she went to sermons every day and often gave her own, speaking about the grace and goodwill of the goddess. But it was easy to forget to go, especially when she had mountains of paperwork to get through.

The monastery was practically empty, with the only people still up being night guards or staff going to bed. Byleth slipped into the dining hall, walking past a group of soldiers drinking after their shift. They saluted to her and she gave a quick wave before poking her head into the kitchen. The only person inside was a nun, who was on her knees diligently scrubbing the floor. She glanced up when she heard Byleth enter.

“Oh, Monarch!” She said, hastily standing and bowing.

“Hello, Sister,” Byleth said, returning the bow. “I’m sorry to bother you at such a late hour, but I’m afraid I missed dinner and I’m rather hungry.”

The nun smiled. “Think nothing of it, Monarch. I’ll whip you up something real quick.”

“Actually, I was wondering if I might assist?”

The request startled the nun. “Oh, I’m sure you’ve been working very hard, Monarch, so please, go have a seat in the dining hall and rest a bit. I’ll bring your food out to you.”

“I feel fine,” Byleth insisted, searching for an apron. “But I would feel terrible if I kept you up without offering to help. I haven’t cooked in a long time.”

“If you’re sure…”

Byleth nodded firmly. The nun gathered up ingredients for a simple but hearty carrot stew, placing Byleth in charge of cutting vegetables. Her stomach rumbled again as rich smells filled the air. The nun prepared flatbread as well, setting the finished loaf on a tray with a bowl of stew and a mug of ale at Byleth’s request.

Byleth thanked her and took the tray to the dining hall to eat. By now, the soldiers had gone, leaving her alone. She prayed over her food then ate slowly. Her mind drifted back to Dimitri’s letter and as she left the dining hall, she thought about what she would need to do to pull it off. She couldn’t simply abandon her duties for months while she taught. Perhaps she could do some delegation and lighten her workload enough to allow time to teach. She was certain Rhea or Seteth would agree to assist her if she asked, but that would add to their full plates.

Her feet took her to the training grounds, which were unsurprisingly empty. She went through a few basic drills with different weapons but fell back on her sword and gauntlets as usual. She was panting when she finished, wiping sweat off her forehead while she put away the practice dummies. She wasn’t out of shape, but she was embarrassed by how many times she messed up during the exercises. If she wanted to go back to teaching, she needed to get back in the groove.

Eventually, around midnight, she got back to her quarters after going back to her office to grab the letter. She read it again while she prepared for bed, being careful not to drop it in the bath while she bathed. When she finally climbed into bed, her last thoughts were of grading papers and giving lectures.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byleth reads some interesting and surprising letters and makes her decision.

A week had passed since Byleth had gotten Dimitri’s letter and not a day had gone by that she hadn’t thought about it. She worked hard during the week so she could spare the time to attend sermons and keep up with training. Going back to the Officer’s Academy was actually starting to be a possibility.

She was in her office, reading a report about attacks on the trading ships from Brigid when a messenger entered. He wore the uniform of the Riders of Cihol, a branch of the Knights of Seiros that rode their wyverns across the world delivering messages for the Church and for Byleth under the direction of Seteth.

He bowed to her before speaking. “Monarch, I’ve been sent to inform you that the archbishop’s visit with the Almyrans has gone smoothly and that she will be returning soon.” He placed a folder on her desk. “Here are the documents she asked me to bring you.”

“Thank you. You’re dismissed.”

Byleth opened the folder. The first letter was from Rhea, a brief recap of everything that happened and a promise that she would return safely. Byleth couldn’t help the smile that appeared as she read her wife’s words. Even after so many years of marriage it was still hard to be apart.

The next document was an official declaration from Claude. As king of Almyra he had been the one to invite Rhea and host her at his castle. He said that the visit had gone well and that missionaries from Fodlan would be granted protection to preach, something they had been negotiating for years. She wasn’t surprised to find a second, much less formal letter from him underneath, in which he thanked her for her diligence as monarch and improvements to Fodlan. 

To her confusion, in the letter he also asked that she think about returning to the Officer’s Academy to teach again. Perhaps he wanted to send some of Almyra’s finest young minds to the academy, or perhaps Dimitri had written to him and asked him to help persuade her to take up teaching again. She sighed.

Hilda had also included a letter. Byleth remembered with guilt that she hadn’t seen Hilda since she had visited Almyra for their wedding. Hilda mainly wrote that she missed her friends and family in Fodlan and that she was planning on visiting soon with her daughter. 

Byleth paused. Claude and Hilda had a daughter?

It made sense since Claude would need an heir, but to think that Hilda of all people would be a mother! Byleth was left gaping as she finished reading, trying to imagine Hilda staying up late with a crying baby. She had changed since her days at the academy, maybe she realized she wanted kids after all.

The final letter was what shocked Byleth the most.

_To Byleth Eisner, the Monarch of the United Kingdom of Fodlan,_

_I am Princess Revera of Almyra, daughter of King Claude and Queen Hilda. I have never met you before, but I have heard many things about you from my parents, and from your wife, the archbishop._

_One thing that they all spoke of was your past as a teacher at a prestigious academy in Fodlan, the place where my parents met. I asked my father about this academy and have become enthralled with it. I write you this letter in the hopes that I will be granted your permission to travel to Fodlan and attend this academy. My father has already granted his permission for this and is willing to make arrangements with you to do so._

_I thank you for all that you have done for the land of Fodlan and for my land of Almyra._

_Signed,_

_Revera Talberrossa_

_Princess and Heir of the Almyran Throne_

Byleth was silent for a few moments. Not only did Claude and Hilda have a daughter, but she wanted to travel to Fodlan to go to school at the Officer’s Academy. Claude’s strange request from earlier suddenly made sense. He wanted Byleth to teach his daughter.

She leaned back in her chair, mind whirling. Of course Claude couldn’t order her to teach again, he could only ask that she think about it. But if she accepted and Revera came to Fodlan, it could strengthen the relationship between Fodlan and Almyra and possibly open up the path for others from Almyra to come to the academy as well.

It was a very compelling argument. Two of her former students, one being the king of Almyra, had written her to ask that she teach again, and the princess of Almyra had written to ask that she be allowed to attend the Officer’s Academy. For personal and political reasons, being a teacher again was becoming a hard offer to turn down.

That didn’t change the fact that she still had other documents to get through, however, so she set aside the letters, putting the one from Rhea in a separate drawer, and rifled through her stack of papers until she found one with the seal of House Gautier on it. It would be a report on the negotiations with Sreng from Sylvain, so she opened it.

And found that it was a letter asking her to return to teaching.

He planned to send his oldest child, his daughter Mika, to the Officer’s Academy the following year and wanted her to have as wonderful of an experience as he and Mercedes did. Byleth knew about Mika as she made it a point to keep tabs on her old students, but the fact that three of her old students valued their time at the Officer’s Academy enough to want to share that with their children…

She dug through more papers and sure enough found letters from the rest of her old students. Bernadetta and Raphael, Lorenz and Leonie, Felix and Dorothea, Ingrid and Ignatz, Caspar and Linhardt, Lysithea and Cyril, Ferdinand and his wife… they had all written to her in the hopes that she would consider teaching their children. She even found a letter from Petra and Ashe in Brigid, wanting to send their kids across the ocean to the Officer’s Academy.

A few tears slid down her face. To think that she had made such an impact on them all…

Knowing what she did, it wasn’t hard for Byleth to make a decision.

She would do anything it took to teach again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter two, woo! I was going to publish it next week, but I might as well give it early. Some children make their first appearances, and more are certain to come!
> 
> (Also Revera’s last name comes from a headcanon I have that Claude took up his mom’s last name when he came to Fodlan but reverted back to his dad’s last name when he returned to Almyra. And I am aware that Revera sounds like Severa, but it’s so prettyyyy)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byleth discusses her plans with her wife, the archibishop.

Byleth stood at the entrance of Garreg Mach Monastery, wearing her formal attire, with Alois at her side and her personal guard behind her. Though she thought it was unnecessary, it was protocol for her to greet important parties at the front gates with soldiers in case of an emergency. She’d brought up the issue with Seteth years ago, and he’d simply said that her protection was of utmost importance. So she sighed and went along with it.

The gatekeepers opened the massive iron gates of the monastery, and as she looked out, she could see the approaching company, with the rider at the front bearing the flag of the kingdom and the flag of the Church. Rhea had returned.

As soon as the carriage carrying her wife entered the monastery grounds, Byleth left Alois and the soldiers to approach it. The bishops of the Eastern and Western churches had accompanied Rhea to Almyra but would have gone back to their respective cathedrals without stopping at the monastery, so it was just Rhea in the carriage and Catherine and a few attendants on horseback around the carriage. 

Catherine swung off her horse and bowed to Byleth. “We have returned, Monarch.”

“How was the trip?”

“I’ll submit my report to you and Alois tonight,” Catherine promised. “But I doubt you want to hear everything from me,” she added, smiling.

Byleth nodded, unable to disagree. “Thank you. You are dismissed.”

Catherine bowed again and she led her horse to the stables, followed by the attendants. Knowing Catherine, the report would mostly be complaints about how formal and stiff everything had been. 

Byleth turned as the carriage door opened. Rhea stepped out, wearing a simple travelling outfit but looking as beautiful and elegant as always to Byleth.

The couple embraced, happy to be together again. Rhea had been gone for nearly a month, as travelling across Fodlan’s Throat took a week each way and she’d stayed in Almyra for six days. Byleth missed her warm presence at the monastery during that time.

Satisfied that the archbishop had arrived safely, Alois and the soldiers dismissed themselves, the carriage driver heading to take the carriage to a storage facility by the stables. Rhea took Byleth’s hand as they walked to their room.

“I missed you, love,” Rhea said as they strolled. 

“I missed you too, Rhe,” Byleth said, using her pet name. “Without you, it was as if my days are cloudy.”

Rhea laughed softly. Byleth was usually very reserved in her affection, saving it for private places, but when one had been gone and they hadn’t seen each other for a while, she tended to get sappy. 

“It seemed like Claude and Hilda missed you as well,” Rhea said. “They send their apologies that they couldn’t meet you in person.”

Byleth nodded. “I hear you met their daughter.”

“Yes. Princess Revera is quite the personality.”

“Did they ask about having her come to the Officer’s Academy and me teaching?”

“I was just about to mention it. By now you’ve surely received their letters, but they asked me to bring it up in person.” They reached the stairs to the second floor and began ascending. “Are you considering it?”

“Actually,” Byleth said, “I got letters from other students of mine, asking the same thing.”

“Really?”

She nodded. “I badly want to accept, but I don’t know how to make it work.”

“Don’t forget, love, you have my support, as well as Seteth’s. We are happy to lighten your load for a time so you can teach.”

Byleth squeezed her hand. “Thank you. It would mean the world to me to be able to do this.”

They climbed the stairs to the third floor and entered their room. Byleth had done extra work the previous day so she could spend the rest of the day with her wife. No doubt Rhea would be weary from traveling and simply want to relax for a while before tonight’s sermon.

“I’m going to have a bath,” Rhea said, undoing her hair and letting it fall down her back.

Byleth stared for a moment. She never thought green hair was her color but damn it looked good on Rhea. “I’ll prepare some tea, then.”

While Rhea cleaned up, Byleth went through her tea collection and selected the rose petal blend and a plain porcelain pot. Using magic, she boiled water and added the blend. The air filled with a soft flowery scent that reminded her of the monastery’s greenhouse. She poured two cups and took a sip, sighing contentedly.

Rhea emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later, wearing a sleeveless white dress. Her hair was slightly tangled, so Byleth grabbed the brush and brushed through it while Rhea had her tea. One would think that it would be odd to see Byleth doing menial things like brushing hair as the monarch, but taking the time to do things for herself and for Rhea was natural. It always felt odd to think about someone else doing her hair or getting her dressed. Of course, almost everything about nobility was odd to a woman who had grown up as a mercenary. And Rhea was always doing things for her, like offering advice and support, so the least she could do was return the favor.

When Byleth finished brushing and Rhea finished her tea, they moved to the couch on their balcony, where they sat and enjoyed each other’s company while looking out across the monastery.

“About my teaching,” Byleth began, her voice uncertain, “would it be possible? I know you’re busy with the Church and Seteth is in charge of the Riders as well as assisting you, and I wouldn’t want you burden either of you.”

“Of course you wouldn’t be a burden,” Rhea said, kissing her forehead. “Like I said earlier, we are always happy to help you. Since we have the agreement with Almyra, that will be the main thing I am focusing on, but I promise to use what other time I have to help you.”

“And Seteth?”

“I would talk to him the next time he’s at the monastery and see what he says. I’m sure you can also make accommodations with the staff at the academy as well to keep your class a manageable size or reduce the amount of work you do as a teacher.”

“I think having a smaller class would be the best option,” Byleth agreed. “If I only take the students of my old students on, then my class will be small enough to allow me to make connections with my students but still have time for my other work.”

Rhea nodded, smiling warmly. “Then it seems you have this figured out.”

“Now I just have to talk to the academy staff about a classroom and enrollment procedures. Oh, and write to my students about my plans.” She moved to stand, then changed her mind and snuggled back against Rhea. “I can do that tomorrow, though.”

Byleth rarely got days off, and even when she did, it was hard not to think about work. But she pushed her thoughts aside for a few hours and enjoyed being with her wife again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some wholesome Rhealeth (mainly for myself, lol). I can’t wait to introduce the rest of the main cast!
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byleth does some paperwork and helps a soldier learn to use a lance.

Byleth cursed softly as she stared at the broken quill in her hand. That was the third one she’d broken since she sat down to write these letters and she was reminded of the time Dimitri broke four training lances in one sparring match with Felix. She tossed it in the trash bin next to her desk and grabbed another one. Her hand had been cramping painfully for the last half hour and her patience was wearing incredibly thin but she needed to finish the letters.

The door opened and Yerri poked his head in, looking worried. She must’ve cursed louder than she thought. “Everything alright, Monarch?” He asked.

Byleth winced. “Yes, everything’s alright. I just broke another pen, that’s all.”

He nodded, then closed the door. 

She sighed. She’d been writing letters to her past students, informing them of her decision to teach their children. Most of them were informal and didn’t require much, just simple greetings, simple messages, and simple signatures. But in the case of the letters to Claude and Hilda and Petra and Ashe, who were all royalty, there were a few more hoops to jump through. She had to dig through her desk drawers to find her seal and had to rewrite the first letter for Petra and Ashe because she messed up the seal. 

After finishing the letter to Lorenz and Leonie, Byleth stood up, vigorously shaking out her hands. She needed a break. If she had to write “I have considered your request and decided to accept it” one more time, her hand would fall off.

Grabbing the Sublime Sword of the Creator, she strolled out of her office and headed towards the training grounds. If she was lucky, she’d find Catherine or Shamir there, and they’d be willing to spar with her.

To her chagrin, the training grounds were empty. She’d be practicing solo today.

She grabbed a pair of practice gauntlets and began her warmups. Once she swung when her grip was loose and sent a gauntlet flying across the grounds, nearly hitting the soldier that walked in.

“Sorry about that,” she sighed, picking up the gauntlet.

“It’s alright, Monarch,” he said, quickly bowing. “No harm done.”

“Are you here to train?” She asked. If he was staying perhaps she could convince him to train with her.

He nodded sheepishly. “Yes, Monarch. My commanding officer told me he’s transferring me to the cavalry patrol but I’ve never held a lance in my life so he sent me here to learn how.”

“Do you want some help?”

The soldier’s eyes got wide. “What?”

“I’d be willing to show you how to use a lance,” she said, “as long as you spar with me for a bit.”

“Oh, um, sure then. Thank you, Monarch.”

“Of course. Go get a practice lance from off the rack over there.”

For the next hour, Byleth helped the soldier, whose name was Bartum, learn the basics of lance wielding. Of course he was still terrible at the end, but she drilled into him that first he needed to be willing to accept failure, and only then could he improve. Bartum was fairly young as well; he’d have plenty of time to grow into lances. She made sure to remind him to keep up with the other weapons he knew, which she discovered were swords and axes, so he could be more versatile in combat.

“If you can only do one thing,” she said, “then eventually someone will come along that can do it not only better than you, but they can do something else as well, and you’ll get replaced. It’s also good to know how to use many different weapons because situations can change, and you don’t want to spend your last moments wishing you’d trained more.”

Bartum nodded earnestly, and she had him repeat what she told him to make sure he was getting it all.

“Thank you so much for your help, Monarch,” he said gratefully. “Without your assistance I doubt I could ever learn how to use a lance.”

She smiled, putting away the training weapons. “You’re welcome,” she said. “And thank you for sparring with me.”

“Even though I lost every match?”

“What did I tell you about failure?” She chided.

He chuckled. “That I have to be willing to accept it if I want to improve.”

“Excellent.” Byleth laid a hand on his shoulder, even though he was a few inches taller than her. “You have the potential to become a great soldier, and I can’t wait to see that day.”

He blushed but was beaming, and when he left the training grounds, he walked with a new pep in his step. 

She was satisfied with how she handled that. It was good to know that she could still teach, even after all this time. Then she groaned as she remembered the letters she still had to write, and dragged herself out of the training grounds back to her office. 

Byleth finished the letters just before dinner, and took them to the Riders to be delivered. With any luck, she would have responses back within a few days, then could send the necessary registration papers. The new school year would start in a few months, and she could use that time to work on lesson plans. She also needed to visit with the headmaster of the academy and make arrangements to get a classroom, although she doubted that would be difficult.

She thought back to her first and only year of teaching. Much of her success as a teacher was advice from Hanneman and Manuela, the former having retired a few years go to work full time as a crest scholar at the monastery and the latter still teaching at the academy. Maybe she would pay them each a visit and ask for more advice. She’d certainly need it.

With a sigh, she went back to her paperwork. Today’s reports were actual updates about Sreng negotiations from Sylvain. Initially she questioned his capability as Margrave, but once he married Mercedes, he became much more serious and she placed her trust for the Sreng relations in his hands. 

What would their daughter be like? What would any of her past students’ children be like?

Rhea had told her that Revera was very spirited and passionate. How would the other students react to the Almyran princess? On the same note, how would they react to the prince and princess of Brigid? Would nobility be an issue? Would crests be an issue?

Byleth lost focus on the report and had to reread it. Worrying about her future students would do her no good. She was monarch of a continent, for goddess’ sake! If a handful of kids scared her, then it was time for her to step down.

She winced as she realized she would need to make a formal announcement about her decision to teach as it would take time away from governing. She’d have to ask Seteth what the protocol for it was.

Her mind was racing with thoughts, hopes, doubts, worries. These next few months, and the ones to follow, would be hell for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are picking up, hopefully. Next chapter will bring more child characters into play, finally!
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beth gets a surprise letter in the mail.

Beth sat against the tree, knees propped up to hold her sketchbook. The weather was nice so she’d convinced her father to let her draw him outside. He had his easel set up and was opening tubes of paint and squirting dollops onto his pallet. Likewise, she had her pencil case by her feet and selected a charcoal stick from it, glancing up to see if her father was ready. He adjusted his glasses, then nodded.

He dipped his brush in orange and swiped it across the canvas. Beth noted the angle of his arm, how he bent his elbows, how he sat with a straighter back than she could manage, and began to draw. Her area of focus this month was moving subjects and being able to catch them in a single moment and recreate it. She had spent the last week drawing her father during his archery practice and was beginning to master her technique.

They worked in silence, Beth on her drawing and her father on his painting, until they heard a garbled noise like a roar coming from the front yard.

“Will you go see what that was?” Her father asked. She shrunk against the tree, and he sighed. “Will you please go see what that was?” He repeated.

Although she really didn’t want to, she set down her sketchbook and pencil and brushed her skirt off, heading around the house to the front. Her father’s flower garden along the side of the house was doing well, and soon she’d help him grind the petals up to make paint. She considered lingering for a minute to smell the flowers, but her parents had caught onto that tactic ages ago and she would get scolded if she dallied.

She nearly screamed when she saw a wyvern on the road in front of the house. It wore the silver armor of a Rider’s wyvern, and she let out a breath. Its rider stood on the doorstep, but once he noticed her he hurried across the grass to her and bowed.

“Is this the home of Ingrid and Ignatz Victor?” The messenger asked. 

“I’m their daughter,” she said, barely stumbling over her words. Her mother would be proud.

“Excellent! I have a letter from the Monarch for them.” He pulled a thick envelope out of the messenger bag on his wyvern and held it out to her. “Will you make sure they get this, please?”

She nodded, taking the envelope. Then she paused, unsure if she should see him off or at least say goodbye. But he didn’t say anything more and walked back to his wyvern, mounting it smoothly and flying off.

She coughed as dust from the takeoff filled the air and studied the envelope as she hurried back to the backyard. It had her parents’ names on the front, and by now she recognized the Monarch’s handwriting. Looped letters and sharply pointed i’s and j’s, a stark contrast to her own sloppy letters.

“Dad, you got a letter,” she said, approaching his easel and holding out the letter. When he didn’t react, she tapped his shoulder lightly.

“A letter?” He asked, setting down his brush. Beth noted the paint splatter on his cheek as he took the letter.

“It’s from the Monarch.”

“Oh, good!” He broke the seal and removed a sheet of paper from inside, quickly reading it. “Ah, wonderful! Your mother will be so pleased.”

“What’s it about?” She asked. She returned to her tree, picking up her sketchbook.

He chuckled. “You might not like it. I’ll tell you tonight when your mother returns.”

Beth perked up. “Mom’s coming home tonight?”

“Uh-huh. She knew this would be coming soon so she shortened her stay this time.”

Beth’s mother, Ingrid Galatea Victor, was in Fraldarius on request from Duke Fraldarius, who wanted her to work with his new cavalry regiment. Beth normally accompanied her mother on trips like those because her parents wanted her to get out, but they hadn’t made her travel away from home for months. It was both relieving and suspicious.

She finished her drawing before her father finished his painting, so she gave him a kiss on the cheek and went inside. Her room was one of the only places where she felt truly comfortable, aside from the backyard. Being away from home just made her anxious.

She stepped over the papers scattered on the floor and flopped down on her bed. Her father hadn’t pestered her about her lance or bow training today, so she had the rest of the day to do whatever she wanted. Although, living out in the countryside meant that there wasn’t much to do. Sighing, she decided to clean her room, as sort of a surprise for her mother.

The sun was beginning to set outside her window when she heard the familiar sounds of a pegasus neighing. Her mother was home!

Hurrying out of her room, she beat her father to the stables next to their house. Insider, her mother unsaddled her pegasus, hanging the saddle on pegs in the stall.

“Mom!” Beth said, hugging her mother.

“Oh, Beth!” Her mother exclaimed, almost falling over from the surprise hug.

“Sorry! I’m just excited to see you again.”

Her mother smiled, kissing her forehead. “I’m glad to be home. Where’s your father?”

“He was painting in the backyard.”

“Will you go start dinner?” Her mother asked. “I need to talk to him about something.”

Beth had a feeling that something was the letter, but she set aside her curiosity and went to make dinner. She wasn’t a great cook, but neither were her parents, and out of the three of them she was the least busy, so she got stuck cooking most nights.

She watched her parents embrace through the kitchen window as she started cutting vegetables, but couldn’t hear what they were saying. She hoped the letter wasn’t any bad news.

They came in and sat at the table, her mother holding the letter. Beth put the food on the table and sat, eyeing the letter.

“So, Beth,” her father started, using the voice he used when he was explaining something important, “this letter is actually about you.”

Her eyes widened. “Me? But it’s from the Monarch. I doubt she even knows who I am!”

“On the contrary,” her mother said, “she does, and she’s taken an interest in you.”

“What? Why?”

“Well, did you know that the Monarch was once a teacher at the prestigious Officer’s Academy at Garreg Mach?” Her father asked.

“No, I didn’t. What does that have to do with me?”

Her mother held out the letter to her. “She has decided to start teaching again, and she’s offering you a spot in her class.”

Beth took the letter with a shaky hand. The Monarch, teaching? And offering to teach her?

_ To my old students, Ingrid and Ignatz, _

_ I have considered your request and have decided to accept it. I will take up my old teaching position at the Officer’s Academy for this year only. _

_ Although Fodlan isn’t separated like it used to be, the Officer’s Academy is still split into different houses. The current houses are the Red Sun House, taught by Manuela, and the Green Dragon House, taught by Flayn. My house will be called the Silver Snow House, and I am offering one of fourteen spots in my house to your daughter, Beth. _

_ Please know that this is a choice for her to make. If she does not want to come, then I will select someone else to take her spot. However, if she decides that she does want to come, I can send the necessary registration papers to her to fill out. _

_ I expect a reply within the week. There is a Riders base within an hour of your home, last I checked, and you can give them your response to deliver to me. _

_ Thank you for reaching out to me, and I hope to hear back from you soon. _

_ Signed, _

_ Byleth Eisner _

_ Monarch of the United Kingdom of Fodlan. _

“What?” Beth squeaked, looking up from the letter. “The Monarch wants to be my teacher?”

Her father nodded excitedly. “Isn’t it incredible? We wrote to her about the possibility of sending you to the Officer’s Academy, and this news is incredible.”

“One of fourteen spots in her class, Beth,” her mother said. “You should seriously consider this. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime.”

“But- but that would mean leaving you!” Beth shook her head. “You know I hate being away from home!”

“We’ve been debating this for a while, Beth,” her father said calmly, “and we feel that this is the best option for you. It will prepare you for the future, when you aren’t living with us anymore.”

Even though the Monarch said it was her choice, Beth didn’t feel like it was. Her parents obviously wanted her to go, no matter how hard they tried to hide their excitement, and she had a sneaking suspicion that they’d resort to bribery if they had to to convince her to go.

But spending a year away from home, at a school full of people she didn’t know? Expected to follow the rules, keep good grades, study? It was pretty low on her list of exciting things, down there with visiting her uncle and grandparents in old Leicester territory.

Finally, her head sunk to the table in defeat. “I’ll go if you really want me to,” she said quietly. “But I don’t think I’ll like it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beth Victor makes her first appearance! If I’m being honest she’s my favorite of the child characters I made for this story.
> 
> Also the next few chapters are pretty much going to follow the same plot as this one, with the children featured in those chapters receiving their invitations to the Academy and reacting to the news. Just as a way to introduce more characters, and then the story will continue, but I will be doing chapters from each kid’s perspective eventually.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Morgan gets a surprise letter in the mail.

“Alright, Morg,” her father called from across the field, “come at me!”

Morgan took her aim, releasing a powerful gust of wind from her fingertips at him. Light as a leaf, he jumped to the side and charged at her with his gauntlets. Despite being almost forty he was quite nimble, and he crossed the field in a few seconds. She shot another blast of wind, catching his foot and throwing him off his feet. He fell with a thud. 

“Dad,” she scolded, hurrying over to help him up, “I know you took that hit.”

He grinned and brushed dirt off his armor. “I don’t want to impale my favorite daughter,” he joked. 

“You wouldn’t have,” she said firmly. “I’ve been working on my warping, I could have teleported you away then continued my long range assault.”

He chuckled, giving her a side hug. “Humor your old man, eh?”

“You’re thirty eight, Dad, that’s not old.”

“Did you say something, youngin?” He asked, putting his hand to his ear. 

She rolled her eyes. “I still have no idea why Papa married you,” she said. “You’re about as mature as a three year old.”

“And you’re as cranky as my grandma,” he retorted, ruffling her hair. “Let’s go get cleaned up, you’re all dusty.”

She glanced at her black clothes, and saw an outline of dust where he’d hugged her, groaning. “Dad!”

He took off, sprinting away from her with the speed of someone who’s sat through being lectured by his own daughter one too many times, with her right on his tail. Despite not being very athletic, she could keep pace with him for a few minutes by using her magic. 

They raced back to their house, neck and neck, until they saw a wyvern parked on their front lawn. That stopped her dad right in his tracks, and she blew past him, pausing on the doorstep. 

Her dad looked surprised. “Hey, I didn’t know that would be coming today!” 

“What?”

He turned to her, a glint in his eyes. “Oh, it’s nothing.”

Her curiosity intensified. “Tell me!”

“Go get cleaned up. Then we can talk about it.”

She huffed as she went inside the house, walking past the wyvern. Although she knew it was tamed, she still kept her distance and watched it out of the corner of her eye. Her dad had a wyvern once, but it died in battle and he never replaced it, so she didn’t have much experience with them. 

Her room was on the top floor of the house, so she trudged through the living room to the stairs. She heard her papa talking to someone with a deep voice in the kitchen and wanted to eavesdrop but went up stairs to get cleaned. Whatever that wyvern rider was here for could wait. She needed a bath. 

She passed by her papa’s workroom and wondered what project he was working on today. His Crest studies had been quiet lately, but maybe he was doing something else exciting. She enjoyed helping him with his work whenever he let her. 

Opening her bedroom door, she set her dusty boots aside and went to the bathroom adjoined to her room. Having her own bathroom was handy, she had to admit. Her papa, with her dad’s help, had built a series of pipes that brought water up to her bath with the use of magic. She kept telling him he needed to sell the idea, but he complained that it would be too much of a hassle despite how much money it could make them. 

She filled the bath and practically dove in, eager to rid her skin of the dirt it was caked in. Training with her dad, although fun, was too messy for her tastes. Soon the bathwater turned a muddy brown and she drained it, then filled it again and repeated her washing. The dirt had mixed with sweat in her hair and turned to mud, so she meticulously cleaned her hair to make it shine. She was fortunate to have long, silky hair and she didn’t want it ruined because her dad insisted on rough housing. 

She took her time drying off, using lotion to smooth her skin. For her, being clean was being happy, and bathing took her mind off her worries for a few moments of relaxation. She tossed her dirty clothes into a hamper and dressed, opting for a loose shirt and comfy pants.

Freshly cleaned and dressed, Morgan walked down the stairs. The wyvern rider was long gone, and her parents were talking in the kitchen. She picked up on their conversation as she approached. 

“...love it there,” her dad said. “She’s a good learner, and her ambitious nature is sure to make her succeed.”

“I’m worried about her getting along with other students,” her papa said. 

“I can get along with other people,” Morgan said with a snort, walking into the kitchen. They looked at her and exchanged a glance. 

“I remember the time you pushed Tyrin over because he refused to play with you,” her dad pointed out. Tyrin was the son of her parents’ friends, and he wasn’t exactly the sharpest axe in the army. 

“Tyrin is an idiot.”

Her dad sighed. “I see your point, Lin,” he said, turning to her papa. “Maybe this isn’t the best idea.”

She looked back and forth between them. “What isn’t a good idea?” She demanded. 

Her papa held up a letter. “See for yourself.”

Morgan took the letter, and her jaw fell as she read. 

_ To my old students, Caspar and Linhardt, _

_ I have considered your request and have decided to accept it. I will take up my old teaching position at the Officer’s Academy for this year only. _

_ Although Fodlan isn’t separated like it used to be, the Officer’s Academy is still split into different houses. The current houses are the Red Sun House, taught by Manuela, and the Green Dragon House, taught by Flayn. My house will be called the Silver Snow House, and I am offering one of fourteen spots in my house to your daughter, Morgan. _

_ Please know that this is a choice for her to make. If she does not want to come, then I will select someone else to take her spot. However, if she decides that she does want to come, I can send the necessary registration papers to her to fill out. _

_ I expect a reply within the week. You have means of reaching me, magical and otherwise, and please know that I will not accept a late reply. I know you two well enough by know to give you plenty of reminders.  _

_ Thank you for reaching out to me, and I hope to hear back from you soon. _

_ Signed, _

_ Byleth Eisner _

_ Monarch of the United Kingdom of Fodlan. _

“The Officer’s Academy?” Morgan asked in disbelief, looking up from the letter. “The  _ Monarch  _ wants me to join her class?”

“We wrote her a while back, hopeful she would consider it, but we had no idea she would actually accept,” her papa said. “It’s a great opportunity for you.”

Her dad smiled. “But you have to play nice with the other kids or you’ll get in trouble. The Monarch is pretty strict.” 

“I’ll be fine,” she insisted. “And before either of you can make the choice for me, I already decided I’m going.”

Her papa gestured to the letter with a smile. “Than you better get started on that reply, eh?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The daughter of Linhardt and Caspar makes her entrance! I seriously had to rewrite this chapter like six times, oof. Anything for my readers!
> 
> Next chapter will be another child, then it’s back to Byleth.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Serena gets a surprise letter in the mail.

“Did you hear the rumor?”

“The one about Duke Aegir’s daughter? Who hasn’t?”

“Do you think it’s true?”

“If it is, they’ve done a good job hiding it. But if she was illegitimate, why hasn’t Lady Aegir divorced the duke yet?”

“The sake of appearances. If she suddenly left, it would confirm the rumors.”

“True.”

“Anyway, did you hear that the Monarch is taking some time off…”

The chattering maids moved out of earshot, their voices fading away.

Serena stood in the now empty hallway, frozen in place. What she just heard had her shaking and unable to move. There was a rumor going around that she was illegitimate?

_ There’s no merit in that rumor,  _ she thought, trying to fight back her sudden nausea.  _ I  _ am _ my parents’ daughter. I am not illegitimate. I’m not. _

Her legs refused to work. She had to find her father and ask him about this. Her head was spinning. If it was true, and her father’s wife wasn’t her birth mother…

_ I’m only seventeen, damn it! I’m too young to have my whole world turned upside down! _

Finally she forced her legs to move, and slowly she made her way down the hallway towards her father’s office.

Her family’s own maids were spreading the rumor. It wasn’t a huge surprise; after her grandfather’s rule ended none of Castle Aegir’s staff had been too keen for her father to take his place. Her father’s confidence annoyed people, as they saw it instead of the hours of dedication he spent ruling over his territory and assumed he was just arrogant and foolish. Their loyalty was undoubtedly affected by that. But Serena had seen his commitment to his position first hand, and he was anything but arrogant. He deserved their loyalty. 

Oh, goddess.  _ What if they’re spreading the rumor to undermine him? What if… _

_ They’re planning to overthrow him? _

It wasn’t totally far fetched. She’d studied enough of the old Adrestian Empire’s history to know that insurrection was commonplace, particularly in Aegir territory. 

Her pace quickened. This was heading into very dangerous territory. 

Her father’s office was in the wing of the castle by the library. Castle Aegir wasn’t as grand as Enbarr Castle, which she’d heard was the size of Garreg Mach Monastery, but it was decently sized. She passed groups of servants on their way to various other parts of the castle. Though she waved to them, they ignored her. She ground her teeth. The rumor had spread fast. 

Serena came to the large oak doors of her father’s study, catching her breath. She knocked once, then pushed the doors open. 

It was empty, unfortunately. She sighed, feeling her nervousness start up again. She needed to see him, but she had no idea where he was. 

Something on his desk caught her eye. She knew better than to go snooping through her father’s things, but the open envelope had the Monarch’s seal on it. Hesitantly she picked it up and removed the letter, reading it. 

_ To my old student, Ferdinand, and your wife, Esmé, _

_ I have considered your request and have decided to accept it. I will take up my old teaching position at the Officer’s Academy for this year only. _

_ Although Fodlan isn’t separated like it used to be, the Officer’s Academy is still split into different houses. The current houses are the Red Sun House, taught by Manuela, and the Green Dragon House, taught by Flayn. My house will be called the Silver Snow House, and I am offering one of fourteen spots in my house to your daughter, Serena. _

_ Please know that this is a choice for her to make. If she does not want to come, then I will select someone else to take her spot. However, if she decides that she does want to come, I can send the necessary registration papers to her to fill out. _

_ I will make the academy a safe haven for her, you have my word. The truth is sure to weigh her down, but I promise to do what I can to lighten her burden. Her time at the academy will prepare her.  _

_ Thank you for reaching out to me, and I hope to hear back from you soon. _

_ Signed, _

_ Byleth Eisner _

_ Monarch of the United Kingdom of Fodlan. _

Serena was even more shocked now. The Monarch was inviting her to join her class at the Officer’s Academy. Of course she’d accept, but something about the letter still bothered her. 

The Monarch knew the truth about the rumors, and from her words it didn’t seem like the truth was what Serena wanted it to be. Tears welled in her eyes. So she wasn’t really her mother Esmé’s daughter. Seventeen years of cherished memories were dashed to pieces. Suddenly her mother seemed like a completely different person, a complete stranger. 

Who was her real mother? Would she ever really know?

She sat down in her father’s chair, her body heavy. The tears were making themselves known, blurring her vision as she curled into a ball. A tiny sliver of her mind said to wait under her father returned and find out the truth from him. But the Monarch didn’t split ends. There was no doubt about what she meant. 

Serena laid there, knees against her chest and head in her hands, for what felt like hours. Her mind was clouded with her worries that her father would be overthrown and her confusion about the truth of her parentage. She would still take her father’s place as ruler of Aegir land, wouldn’t she? If it lasted that long. 

But if she was away at the Officer’s Academy and something happened here then she couldn’t do anything about it. She had to stay here and help her father, prove to her subjects that she was worthy of ruling over them, regardless of who her mother was. 

Maybe her father already had this all under control. He was smart and knew what happened in his land. If someone was planning a rebellion he would know about it, and would contact the Monarch for assistance. Her army would come and keep the peace alongside her father’s militia. 

Or maybe she was just overreacting. Maybe the Monarch was talking about something else, and she was her mother’s daughter. Maybe there were no plans of rebellion, and she’d just jumped to a wild conclusion with no evidence to back it up. If she’d told her father and he investigated but didn’t turn up anything, then she’d make him look incompetent. 

Too many things were going through her head. She needed to talk to her father or even her mother about her new knowledge. She had to get answers, and she had to do it before she made up her mind about going to the Officer’s Academy. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Serena von Aegir makes her appearance, alongside a devastating revelation. Will she ever find out the truth? This chapter was interesting to write because I never intended to take Serena in this direction, but I’m happy that it turned out like this.
> 
> As a side note, I’m considering starting an account on Twitter or Instagram to post artwork for the series. I’ve drawn several of the characters for the story already and would love to share them if you want to see them. 
> 
> ***UPDATE my official Instagram page is up, after some difficulty. You can find me at hygirl_does_art, and I’ve already posted artwork of Beth! I’m super excited to post more art :D ***
> 
> Thanks for reading, and next chapter we (finally) resume with Byleth!


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byleth finishes her preparations for the new school year and has a chat with Hanneman.

Byleth surveyed her classroom, feeling a strange sense of deja vu. Fifteen desks arranged neatly in three rows, with her desk and chalkboard at the front. Her flag hung on the wall behind her desk. 

“This will do,” she said to herself, walking around the room. Usually a room this size was made for thirty or forty desks so there was plenty of extra space that she planned to put shelves in. And she could always use another chalkboard, or perhaps some larger tables instead of desks. 

“I thought you said that you only planned to teach fourteen,” Manuela said, eyeing the room. She’d been aiding Byleth with her preparations for the school year and had accompanied her to see her new room. “There are fifteen desks.”

Byleth nodded. “I’m taking one additional student. I had almost forgotten about her until Rhea reminded me.”

That caught Manuela’s attention. “And who is this additional student?”

“Her name is Anastasia von Syrka,” Byleth explained. “Her adoptive father, Baron von Syrka, was a good friend to my dad and I’m making an exception for her since she’s just barely old enough to attend.”

“If you feel you can handle the workload of an additional student…” Manuela gave Byleth a concerned look. 

Byleth put a hand on her friend’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about me, Manuela. You’ve got a much larger class than I do, I should be the one worrying about you.”

Manuela chuckled, waving her hand. “Oh please, thirty five students is nothing. In my fourth year, I had a class of forty six.”

“I’m glad I don’t have that many,” Byleth said with a laugh. “Oh, by the way, is Hanneman around? I have something to ask him.”

“He’s in his study, I think.”

“Great, thanks. I’ll see you later, then.”

Manuela bade her goodbye and headed to survey her own classroom. The school year was starting next week and she still had some prep work to do. 

Byleth left the classroom and walked to the second floor staircase. Hopefully Hanneman had some answers for her.

Though he was no spring chicken anymore, the old crest scholar was still a valued member of the monastery faculty, and his crest research had proved to have uses outside of determining one’s crest. He had discovered a way to track someone’s parentage through their bloodline by examining the person’s potential for a crest and comparing it with the detailed records of familial crests he kept. In fact, that was what she was going to see him about. 

She knocked once on his study and pushed open the door. He looked up from his book, inclining his head to her. 

“Good day, Monarch,” he said politely. “Here to for the answer to your question?”

“You’ve found it already?” She asked. 

“Yes, though it was rather difficult.”

Byleth suddenly grew serious. “Hanneman, give me your word that you will speak of this to no one, not even Manuela.” The two had been married for years now and were each other’s closest confidantes. Byleth knew Hanneman often shared the results of his research with Manuela.

He looked at her with solemn eyes. “I swear, no one aside from you and Rhea will know the truth about Anastasia.”

“Is she really their daughter?”

He nodded. “Her crest confirms it. I hadn’t thought it possible for a crest unnaturally implanted in someone to be passed down, but she bears the Crest of Flames, there is no doubt. She is Edelgard and Hubert’s daughter, the heir of the old Empire.”

Byleth nodded. She felt responsible for Anastasia, since Byleth had been the one to kill her parents. Still, keeping her parentage a secret was of utmost importance. There were still people that would try and kill her for having the parents she did, despite the wounds of war healing years ago.

“Does she know yet?” Hanneman asked. “Knowing the truth might shock her, but it would be better than keeping her in the dark forever.”

“She already knows she’s adopted,” Byleth said. “But there’s no telling who she’d tell if I told her the truth. I’m going to wait until I have her here and can keep a better eye on her, for the sake of her safety.”

“That’s wise,” he agreed. 

She bit her lip. “Edelgard asked me personally to care for her, and I feel like I let her down when I gave her daughter to someone else. I think that once the year is over, I’ll keep her here permanently.”

“But the Baron has no other heirs,” Hanneman pointed out.

“I’ve been writing to him and he’s agreed to let me merge his territory into Gloucester after he passes. Lorenz has been doing extremely well and I’m certain the additional land won’t be a problem for him.”

Hanneman nodded, adjusting his monocle. “Will she react poorly to being forced from her home?”

“Once she knows the truth, I pray she’ll understand.”

“Very well.”

“Thank you for doing that for me,” she said, turning to leave. “I’ll let you go now.”

“Good luck with your new students, Monarch.”

“And best of luck to you as well, Hanneman.”

Byleth left his study, the news of Anastasia’s bloodline weighing on her mind. If only there had been a way to spare Edelgard and Hubert. But that was the price of war. Someone had to die, and unfortunately it was better that they die to end the war than spending the lives of thousands more innocents to continue it. Fodlan almost hadn’t recovered from the war. 

She went to her office, wanting to go over her lesson plan for the next week one more time. With their registration papers her students had sent in information about their areas of interest regarding combat and she had to make sure she was accommodating for them all.

Rhea came and got her for the evening sermon, but her mind was too far away to pay close attention. From deep inside her, Sothis’s spirit offered her reassurance that everything would be fine, and when she laid down to sleep for the night, she felt an unusual calm settle over her.

She would do whatever it took to make this year one to remember for her students, and she would keep her promise to Edelgard and watch over her daughter. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The fifteenth student arrives! How will Anastasia shake things up at the Officer’s Academy? Will anyone find out the truth about her? Next chapter is the first day, and finally every child will make their appearances!
> 
> My Instagram account is up and running! You can find me at hygirl_does_art for art of the characters in this story as well as other art and fanart.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Glenn gets ready for his first day at the Officer’s Academy.

Glenn looked at himself in the mirror, adjusting the jacket of his gray uniform. His first day of school, and he was more excited than the day his mother had taken him to his first opera. He needed to make a good impression on his classmates, a good performer held himself with confidence and dressed sharply, both skills he’d been working on for the past month. He’d walk into class and “give ‘em the ol’ razzle dazzle,” as his mother once joked. 

He glanced around the small room that would become his home for the next few months, looking for his backpack. The room was definitely smaller than his room at home, with a regular sized bed, a desk, and a few short bookshelves along the walls. The suitcases he had were stuffed under his bed for the moment; he’d unpack later today. His bed had silver sheets and he’d noted the silver flag with the Monarch’s seal hanging on the wall. 

He didn’t know much about his house except that it was called the Silver Snow house, there were thirteen other students in it, and it was taught by the Monarch herself. When he asked his parents about what their school days were like, they’d just smiled and told him not to worry too much, that the Monarch was a wonderful teacher and he’d have fun here, he’d make new friends and it would be life changing. 

Glenn tried not to seem nervous as he left his room, slinging his backpack over his shoulder. He wasn’t worried about the Monarch, he’d heard she was nice enough, but his real worries were about himself. He was barely fifteen, most likely the youngest kids here. What if his classmates made fun of his height, or even worse his voice? 

_ It’s just the first day jitters,  _ he told himself, walking down the long hallway to the stairs.  _ You’re as good as gold, Glenn.  _

He passed a girl with long blonde and blue streaked hair arguing with a boy who had the same hair, only shorter. He recognized Diana and Nicholas, and with a groan he noticed that they had silver pins that matched his own. “No Fun Allowed Nana” and “Nervous Nicky” were in the same class as him. This year was gonna be interesting. 

“I thought you said you were bringing it!” Diana snapped. “Yet you somehow managed to forget it!”

Nicholas wilted, and Glenn felt sorry for him. “I’m sorry, Di, I thought Mother put it with my things-“

Diana scowled. “The Monarch gave us  _ specific  _ instructions to bring it, but of course you’d forget it! Ugh.”

Nicholas glanced around nervously, perking up when he saw Glenn. “Hey, Glenn!” He called timidly. “I didn’t know you would be coming!”

Glenn started walking faster, ignoring Nicholas as every bone in his body screamed at him to get away before Diana turned on him. Nicholas quickly abandoned his sister to join him, keeping pace. 

“Haha, yeah, what a coincidence!” Glenn stammered. He flew down the stairs, brushing past a girl a head taller than him with orange hair in an attempt to ditch Nicholas. He couldn’t see her pin. “Fancy that! I guess I’ll see you in class?”

The blue and blond boy persisted, following him down the stairs. “Are you excited?” He asked. Now that he was away from Diana he looked less pale and a little more confident. “Me, I’m shaking in my boots. I am not happy to be here.”

“Neither is your sister.” Now Glenn resigned himself to having a conversation with Nicholas. 

Nicholas paled again. “Yeah, I forgot something and she kinda lost it at me.”

“That’s crazy, ouch.” Glenn tried to wrap it up, eager to get away. For whatever reason Nicholas talked a lot around him, and he didn’t really want to hear it today. He just wanted to get to class and prayed that his seat was on the other side of the room from Nicholas. 

“Mother says her recent behavior is just growing issues, y’know, but I think she’s just being cranky.”

Glenn nodded, pretending to listen. “Oh, yeah, probably.”

“I’ve been growing, too, and I’m not acting like a jerk, so it can’t be that-“

“It’s been nice chatting,” Glenn interrupted, catching a glimpse of a familiar strawberry blonde head, “but I’ve gotta go.”

He left Nicholas as quickly as he could, sprinting down the sidewalk. At this point he would rather talk to Diana than Nicholas, and that was saying a lot. 

When the redhead noticed him, she turned around, smiling. “Oh, hi, Glenn!” She said brightly. “I’m so happy to see you!”

“You have no idea,” he muttered under his breath. Then, louder, he said, gesturing to their matching silver pins, “Isn’t it so neat we get to go to school together, Mika?”

“Oh yes! I was thrilled when you wrote to me saying you’d been accepted. But I was a bit nervous during the ride here yesterday,” she said, blushing. “I forgot how big Garreg Mach is.”

“Haven’t you been here before, though?” Glenn asked.

She shrugged. “Once or twice with my mother, but I don’t remember it that well.”

“You’re not the only one who’s lost,” he assured, grinning sheepishly. “Wanna look for the Academy together?”

“Sure! Hopefully we can find someone who knows where to go.”

Glenn admired Mika’s optimism. After running into Nicholas and Diana he was worried the rest of the day would go wrong too, but his worries quickly disappeared as he and Mika wandered around the grounds. So many other students milled around as well, wearing green or red pins and chatting. The crowd moved towards a large building in the center of the monastery, so Glenn and Mika followed them. Over the noise of the other students, a loud voice called out. 

“Welcome to the Officer’s Academy, students of Fodlan!” The voice was confident and regal, and the speaker came into view as the crowd thinned around her. 

Wearing a white shirt, golden cape, and black leggings, the legendary Sword of the Creator at her side and her green hair up in a braid strewn with pale flowers, was the Monarch. 

Glenn’s mouth fell open in a little O at the sight of her. She was just as impressive and beautiful as he imagined. 

“Red Sun students, your room is at the very end,” the Monarch instructed, pointing to several sets of large doors adorned with large flags that matched the students’ pins. “Green Dragons, yours is the room in center. And lastly, Silver Snow, yours is that room. The bell will ring shortly so please be in class on time!”

Glenn exchanged a nervous but excited glance with Mika and they hurried to their classroom. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Glenn takes the stage! He’s another of my favorite kids, he’s so fun and weird. I apologize for taking so long to update, hah, stuff happened and I lost motivation for a few weeks but I’m back and the story will continue rolling!
> 
> Be sure to check out my Instagram for art of the kids! hygirl_does_art
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alberet has a rough morning.

Alberet was having a rough morning. 

He had overslept, waking up to the sound of the school bells ringing in the distance. After taking a minute to sleepily process the cacophony, he bolted out of bed and tried to get dressed, only to find that his uniform was a size too big for his petite frame. He had to rummage through his bags to find a belt, dumping two full suitcases onto his bed and digging through a mountain of clothes and books until he found a belt. 

While searching through his things, he accidentally dropped his journal, scattering the loose papers tucked inside across the floor. Several were handwritten notes from his parents, very personal and very dear to him. In a panic he reached to pick them up and tore one clean in half, splitting his mother’s signature in two. He bit down hard on his lip in an effort not to cry. He gathered the rest up with shaking hands and put them back. 

“Why is this happening?” He muttered angrily. “I’m not usually so clumsy!”

If his mother were here she would assure him that it was an accident, that these things happen. She would stay calm and help him fix the situation. But she wasn’t here, she was in Almyra with Father, so far away. For the fifth time since he arrived yesterday he felt homesick, itching to pack up and get on the first carriage bound for Almyra. He could be home in a week.

But he couldn’t. 

Alberet was one of two Almyran students at the Officer’s Academy, along with the princess. Despite the strong relationship forged between Almyra and Fodlan since the War of Unification, there had only been one Almyran student to ever attend the Academy, the current king. If Alberet turned tail and left, defeated, after the first day, he would bring shame upon his country and his family. 

_ No,  _ he thought, gritting his teeth.  _ I’m not a coward, and I am not leaving.  _

It took him some effort to open the door of his bedroom and even more effort to move slowly into the empty hallway of the dormitory wing. 

_ For Mother. Make her proud. _

“Bear!”

Alberet glanced up; his eyes had been trained on the ground. A dark skinned girl, her brown hair pulled back in two enormous ponytails, leaving the single tuft of pink to hang down her face, hurried towards him. 

“Hey, Ree,” he said sheepishly.

“That’s Princess Revera to you, stupid,” Ree said, grinning impishly. “Oh, I’m totally kidding. Here you are, I’ve been running across the whole monastery looking for you.”

“Why?”

She raised an eyebrow. “Um, I dunno, maybe because you never showed up to class and the Monarch, sorry, our Teach, was worried that you’d gotten lost or something.”

“I’ve been here before,” he said defensively. “I know my way around. I overslept, that’s all.”

“Yeesh,” she said. “You think you would’ve set an alarm clock or something.”

“Lay off,” he retorted. “Like I haven’t heard about how lazy  _ you  _ are, Princess Sleeps a Lot.”

She rolled her eyes. “As much as I would love to stay in this empty hallway and argue with you about my sleeping habits, Bear,  _ I  _ need to get back to class. Are you coming with or should I tell the Monarch I couldn’t find you?”

“I’m coming.”

She turned and strolled away, prompting him to follow. Ree had this annoying air of confidence and authority about her, like she almost expected him to do whatever she asked just because she was doing the asking. When they were younger, it hadn’t been as noticeable, but as they grew up and she got closer to becoming queen, it started getting on his nerves. It didn’t help that they were practically brother and sister, so she thought of herself as his big sister. 

“You called the Monarch Teach earlier,” Alberet said as they walked down the stairs. “Why? Aren’t we supposed to call her Monarch?”

“She told us not to bother with formalities like her official title. To us, she’s just our teacher.” Ree shrugged. “Besides, she not  _ our  _ sovereign.”

“Just because you’re a princess doesn’t mean you can call people whatever you want.”

“What are you, my mom?”

“I’m just saying.”

She ruffled his hair. “Don’t worry,” she said. “I’m not going to make us look bad, I promise. Neither of us are, you wanna know why? Because Almyrans are courageous, and when we start things we finish them.”

Alberet didn’t remind her that they weren’t true Almyrans, he was half and she was a quarter, but silently followed her across the monastery to their classroom. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lil Bear makes his appearance! I’m trying to add more chapters from the other students’ perspectives so expect to meet the rest soon! And Revera is a bit of a firecracker, eh?
> 
> As always, you can find me on Instagram @hygirl_does_art for artwork of my chilc characters! 
> 
> Thank you for reading!


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anastasia has lunch and makes a friend.

Anastasia sat quietly in the dining hall, her plate untouched. Around her, students chattered excitedly, talking about their teachers, what they were looking forward to, how good the food was. She’d tried to sit as far away from the commotion as she could, but the hall was packed and she’d been forced to sit next to a group of random students. Thankfully they didn’t even notice she was there.

The Monarch had picked her up from her father’s estate yesterday and brought her to the monastery. She’d been quiet the whole ride, staring into space out the carriage window as the Monarch explained what was happening. Due to some last minute changes, there were no additional rooms in the dormitory, so Anastasia’s room was a spare room on the third floor, close to the Monarch’s own room, and for safety concerns Anastasia wouldn’t be allowed outside the monastery without one of the Monarch’s guards with her. She’d been confused by the restrictions at first, until the Monarch had explained some things. 

_ Secrets best kept to yourself. I wish it didn’t need to be like this, but your safety is my primary concern, and if people know that you are the scion of the old Empire they will come after you. _

How was she supposed to feel about that? Watching the Monarch break into tears as she explained the war, the hidden struggles many didn’t know, how she had tried everything to keep Edelgard from walking her path only to escalate the situation, hearing that her own mother had been so ruthless, it made Anastasia’s stomach twist. And on top of all that, being told of the crest she carried - the Crest of Flames, the direct power of the goddess herself. There was too much to unpack and understand. 

Her first day of school was going decently, at least that was a plus. The Monarch had made everyone introduce themselves, and while she hated it, it was a good chance for her to take stock of her classmates. More than half were nobility or royalty of some kind, heirs to large chunks of profitable land or entire countries. How was she, the adopted daughter of an unknown noble and sole survivor of the hated Adrestian royal family, supposed to compete?

Anastasia finally started picking at her food, feeling out of place with her black and white hair when the other kids had bright colors. She remembered what the Monarch told her, how her black hair made her look like her father, and how the white came from her mother. It was another reminder that she didn’t really belong here, that she wasn’t supposed to exist. Part of her wished that she’d never been born, so she wouldn’t have to deal with this feeling of displacement for the rest of her life. Unconsciously she tried to sit smaller, letting her hair fall across her face.

“Can you believe that the Monarch is a teacher here?” A Red Sun girl asked, stuffing a forkful of salad in her mouth. “I’m so jealous of the kids in her class, that’s a once in a lifetime thing.”

“Yeah, it really makes me wonder what kind of strings they had to pull to get in,” a Green Dragon boy said. “But I’m glad I’m not in it, I heard that the Blaiddyd twins are in it, and Diana is one prickly pear.”

A girl with purple hair and a green pin turned to Anastasia suddenly. “Hey, you’re a Silver Snow kid,” she said, pointing to her silver pin. “What’s it like?”

Anastasia flushed. “It’s fine,” she mumbled. 

“Is the Monarch scary?” The girl asked. 

“Not really.”

“Is Diana a brat?”

“I don’t know.”

“I heard that there’s foreign royalty in your class,” the Green Dragon boy said. “Is it true?”

Anastasia nodded, wishing she was anywhere else. The whole table was now interested in her, there were too many eyes on her. “Princess Revera Talberossa from Almyra, and Beilen and Mazin Macneary, the princess and prince from Brigid.”

“Whoa, Brigid!” The purple haired girl exclaimed. “That’s so awesome. I live in old Empire territory, on the southwest coast in New Marea, and I’ve always wanted to go to Brigid.”

“An Almyran princess,” a Green Dragon girl said thoughtfully. “The Monarch has close ties to Almyra, but how she managed to convince the king there to send his daughter over here for a whole year is beyond me. That’s a ton of security issues to worry about.”

“Almyrans are nuisances,” the Red Sun girl said, lowering her voice. “I live in Goneril land and my older brother is called away constantly to deal with ones that try to cross the border illegally. You’d think that they’d learn their lesson but they all have wyvern dung for brains.”

The table snickered at her comment, and Anastasia turned back to her food. Revera had seemed friendly enough, if not a little stuck up, but Almyrans had always been an issue, especially in old Alliance territory. The Monarch made a show of pretending that relations were good, but did she do much to enforce border laws?

The girl with purple hair found her after lunch ended. “My name is Audra Villi,” she said, extending her hand. “You seem really nice, and if you want you can eat with my friends and I at dinner tonight. And tonight we’re going into town, if you want to come with us.”

Anastasia tentatively shook Audra’s hand. “Um, that sounds like fun, but I’m not really allowed to leave the grounds without supervision.”

“Don’t worry, I know tons of ways to sneak off campus without being followed,” Audra said, her eyes glinting mischievously. “Just meet me at my dorm room tonight, after the sermon. I’m room GD23.”

Anastasia swallowed. She didn’t even want to think about how much trouble she’d be in if she left without the Monarch’s permission, but she didn’t want to be rude either. “Okay.”

Audra smiled, giving her a hug. “See you then!”

Anastasia watched her run off to her classroom before dragging her feet back to her own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anastasia makes her appearance, and I have some big plans for her, hehe. School’s out for me for the next three weeks, so I’ll be writing like crazy adding chapters to this story. I hate to feel like I’ve given up on it and I know where I want this to go, so stay tuned for more chapters soon.
> 
> Big thank you to everyone who has read and left comments and kudos, it means a lot to me! Also a shout out to chofis_dj on Instagram for giving me some motivation to write :)


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mazin learns something new about his professor, and he and Beilen meet another student.

Mazin tried not to let his mind wander while the Monarch spoke about emergency protocol and what to do in the event of a fire. He’d hoped his first day would be a little more interesting than this. His parents had told him stories of their days at the Officer’s Academy, their weapons practice, teatime with the professor, exploring the grounds. He hadn’t imagined he’d be cooped up inside all day.

“Remember, it’s important that you remain calm in situations like these,” the Monarch said. He thought she was beautiful, the collected way she carried herself. She reminded him of his mother. “Having a whole school of panicking students only makes the situation harder for the faculty.”

Mazin glanced over his shoulder at his sister, mouthing  _ faculty?  _ She tore a strip of paper out of her notebook and scribbled something on it.  _ Jeknim.  _ He nodded his thanks. He was passably versed in the language of Fodlan, but there were plenty of words he had no idea what they meant. Beilen was better at language comprehension than he was, probably why he’d been clinging to her since they set foot in Fodlan. 

For a moment he felt very homesick. He hadn’t been outside since lunch and kept glancing over his shoulder at the door, longing to get up and leave. It was hard to sit still and even harder to listen to the Monarch, even though her voice was quite nice. He thought about the beach and the one time his mother scolded him for dumping sand all over Beilen. He hadn’t seen his mother or father in over a week now.

It seemed to take forever but the Monarch finally called for class to be dismissed for the day. Mazin hopped out of his seat and hurried to Beilen, looking back and forth between her and the door. Several students were already filling out. He noticed the quiet girl with black and white hair whose name he couldn’t remember walk up to the Monarch and begin talking to her in a voice barely above a whisper. 

“ _ Come on, Len, let’s go, _ ” he urged, grabbing Beilen’s arm. She raised an eyebrow when he spoke in Brigidian rather than Fodlanese. 

“ _ What’s with the Brigidian? _ ” She questioned. “ _ I thought Mom and Dad wanted us to practice our Fodlanese.” _

“ _ You know I hate speaking it, _ ” he whined. “ _ Now come on, I’ve been dying to get outside all day. _ ”

She rolled her eyes but stood. She seemed to fit her grey uniform better than he did. He wondered if their mother looked like this when she was younger. 

“Mazin! Beilen!” The Monarch called, erasing the whiteboard. The black and white haired girl hurried out of the classroom. “Do you two have a minute?”

Mazin shot Beilen a glance. “She wants to talk to us,” she said. He nodded and together they approached her desk. 

“ _ I’m so glad you two are here,” _ the Monarch said in near perfect Brigidian. She used the wrong word for glad, so translated it meant more like she felt comforted, but he got the gist of it. He hadn’t known she spoke their language. “ _ When Petra and Ashe told me they wanted to send you two to the Academy I was thrilled. _ ”

“ _ You speak Brigidian very well, _ ” Beilen said. She cracked a rare smile. “ _ We’re happy to be here, Teacher. This is a wonderful chance for us to learn about the culture of Fodlan and our parents.” _

“ _ Where did you learn to speak it, Teacher? _ ” Mazin asked.

“ _From your mother,_ ” the Monarch replied. “ _I learned pieces of it from her while she was my student, then more during the war, then I travelled to Brigid for your parents’ wedding and she taught me more there._ _I hoped that speaking your language would help you feel more welcome._ ”

Mazin had a newfound respect for the Monarch. Taking the time to learn a new language when she already had so much on her plate was incredible. He struggled so much with Fodlanese, and he didn’t have a country to rule. 

“ _ I just wanted you two to know that if there is anything I can do for you, just ask, _ ” the Monarch said. “ _ I hope to make this a good experience for you. _ ”

“ _ Thank you, _ ” Mazin and Beilen said in unison. They gave her the Brigid bow of gratitude, to which she smiled even wider. Mazin turned to leave. 

“ _ Oh, and Mazin? _ ” The Monarch said. “ _ I promise you won’t be as bored in class tomorrow. We start weapons practice. _ ”

Mazin was grinning like an idiot when he and Beilen left the classroom to head to dinner. 

“ _ That was incredible! _ ” He said. “ _ I can’t believe she speaks Brigidian! She’s incredible! _ ”

Beilen nodded, and although her face had returned to its natural scowl, he knew she was excited about it too. “ _ Mom and Dad did tell us she was a remarkable woman. _ ”

They walked past a boy and girl with red pins, and the boy gave them a dirty look. “You're not from around here, huh?” He said. “That didn’t sound like Fodlanese. When you’re in Fodlan you speak the language.”

Mazin bristled, but Beilen put a hand on his arm. “ _ Leave him, Mazin, _ ” she murmured. “ _ He’s trying to pick a fight. Let’s go get dinner. _ ”

The boy snickered. “You probably don’t even understand what I’m saying, damn foreigners. I think it’s stupid how the Monarch is trying to bring in people from other countries, like she’s trying to unite the whole world. She should’ve just stopped with Fodlan.”

Mazin tried to glare at the boy but it was hard to understand him with his thick accent. He looked at Beilen, but she shrugged. She didn’t understand him either.

Satisfied, the red pinned boy strolled away. 

“ _ He was unpleasant, _ ” Mazin said, resisting the urge to look over his shoulder. “ _ Even though I couldn’t understand him, he was acting like a stuck up, arrogant asshole. _ ”

“ _ I agree, _ ” Beilen said. “ _ But forget about him. I’m starving. _ ”

“ _ Yeah, let’s eat. _ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Petrashe children make their appearance! I’m trying to write them similar to how Petra was pre-timeskip, eager to learn about Fodlan but struggling with the language slightly. And Beilen will get her own chapter soon, don’t worry!
> 
> Thank you for reading, I hope you all aren’t dying from boredom like I am T.T


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byleth has a rough first day, and even rougher first night.

Byleth leaned back in her office chair, rubbing her eyes. She just finished dealing with a fight that broke out between Tyrin and a Green Dragon student over extra dinner portions, and it had taken all of her willpower not to whip out the Sword of the Creator. She dug around for her pen and started drafting a letter to Bernadetta and Raphael. 

Today had been a success, relatively speaking. Mazin hadn’t paid much attention, Serena seemed to prefer staring out the classroom window over participating, and it had taken a lot to get Beth and Anastasia to interact with the other students. And the issue with Diana and Revera, but that was a problem for a later date.

“Oh, Sothis help me,” Byleth muttered, scribbling out her signature at the bottom of the letter. “These children are a disaster.”

Someone knocked at the door, and a moment later Flayn poked her head in. “Oh, Byleth, there you are!” She wore her teacher’s uniform: a white dress shirt with wide sleeves, a calf length gray skirt and gray tights, and had her green hair done up in a bun. She looked more mature than the eager young girl Byleth had taught years ago.

“Hi, Flayn,” Byleth said. She set her pen down. “Did you need something?”

Flayn closed the door behind her. “I came to apologize for my student’s rough behavior earlier,” she said. “He said he hadn’t meant to start a fight and that he was sorry for causing you so much trouble.”

“He knows he is supposed to help in the kitchens after dinner as his punishment?” Byleth asked.

“I told him that all would be forgotten as long as he did.”

“Good.” Byleth smiled. “You handled that situation well, Flayn.”

Flayn blushed. “Oh, well, it is all thanks to your advice.” Switching the topic, she asked, “How was your first day of teaching? Was it as wonderful as you imagined?”

Byleth chuckled. “It went better than I expected in some ways, and worse in others. Two girls were butting heads over something silly, so I had to take care of that.”

“Are the royals adjusting well?”

Byleth rubbed her forehead. “Beilen and Mazin were fine, although Mazin did have trouble paying attention. I’m mainly concerned about Revera.”

“She’s the Almyran princess, correct?”

“Yes, she’s Claude and Hilda’s daughter. Even if she looked nothing like them it’s obvious from the way she carries herself and the way she acts. I’m worried that her headstrong personality, mixed with her Almyran heritage, will be the cause of a lot of tension for her.” Byleth sighed. “But that’s enough about my problems, how was your first day of teaching?”

Flayn brightened. “Oh, Byleth, it was everything I had hoped for,” she said enthusiastically. “My students were very attentive and kind, and I’m sure that this year will go smoothly.”

“How many kids do you have in your class again?”

“Thirty seven, to be precise.”

Byleth raised an eyebrow. “Quite ambitious for your first year.”

“I’m sure it will be nothing,” Flayn said, waving her hand. “As long as this year goes on without a hitch, thirty seven students will be nothing. Oh! That reminds me. Seteth told me that he would like to meet with you as soon as he returns from his tour.”

“He gets back on the 27th, right?”

“Yes, in the afternoon. I would be happy to take your class for the afternoon so you can speak with him.”

“Are you sure? I could always ask Manuela to do it, or find a substitute. Leonie and Lorenz will be coming up around that time to give me some reports and I’m certain they would be willing to help.”

Flayn shook her head. “I’m quite capable, Byleth, you forget that I am much older than you. I do not think that fifteen extra students will cause too many issues.”

“Alright then,” Byleth said, mentally checking that off her list, “thank you, Flayn. And don’t forget the faculty meeting this Friday.”

“Of course. I’ll see you at tonight’s sermon?”

Byleth nodded. “Yes. See you later.”

Flayn smiled, then left the room. 

Byleth put the letter to Bernadetta and Raphael in an envelope and set it in a pile with other letters. She gathered them up and headed to the stables to get her pegasus. If she went now, she could have the letters to the Riders by nightfall and have them distributed tomorrow. The Riders of Cihol had their main headquarters a few miles outside of Garreg Mach, and although they had riders stationed at the monastery, she enjoyed getting outside the walls every now and then. 

A handful of Red Sun students were on stable duty that night and they greeted her with reverent bows when she entered. She walked past them to her pegasus’s stall, picking up her riding gear.

“Hello, Star,” Byleth said, fondly rubbing her pegasus’s nose. Star was a purebred golden pegasus with thick, feathery wings and a glittering coat, quite possibly the most beautiful animal in Fodlan. Her mother had been Byleth’s first pegasus.

Star whinied her greeting, pleased to see her master.

“We’re going on a quick little ride, girl,” Byleth said. She saddled Star and led her out of the stables, mounting her in one swift motion. She turned to the group of Red Sun students. “Can you find Captain Alois and inform him that I am going out for a short while? He should be in the knights’ office.”

The students nodded, eagerly glancing between themselves.

“Thank you.”

Byleth nudged Star with her knee and the pegasus took off at a brisk pace, slowly increasing her speed until she leapt into the air. Byleth kept her grip tight on the reins as Star soared into the evening sky.

When she was younger, Byleth had an extreme fear of heights, so much that she had never climbed a tree or stood too close to the railings on balconies. The war had forced her to overcome that fear by giving her the opportunity to learn and teach flying, and now being so high wasn’t a bother; it was exhilarating. Star flew smoothly through the sky, and Byleth let herself relax and enjoy the wind rushing through her hair.

While they flew, the sun set, and in the distance the church bell rang, signifying curfew. Byleth hoped there wouldn’t be any incidents with students staying out past curfew, and as a precaution she’d instructed the Knights to enforce it.

They reached the headquarters when the sun finally slipped under the horizon. The Riders at the entrance seemed surprised to see her, but quickly took Star and led her inside. 

Inside the main office, she ran into Cyril, who had been asked by Seteth to help train new recruits. She gave him the letters and a hug and told him to say hi to Lysithea for her, then she was off.

She reached the monastery, estimating the time to be around 2 in the morning. She smacked herself when she realized she’d skipped that night’s sermon, and made a note to apologize to Flayn in the morning. She quickly rubbed down Star then hurried across the grounds to her bedroom. On days like this she regretted having her room on the third floor.

She climbed the stairs to the second floor and was greeted by a group of Knights.

“Monarch, there you are,” Alois said, approaching her with a grim expression.

“Alois, what’s wrong?” 

“We enforced curfew, just as you requested, however, there are a small number of students that are unaccounted for.”

Byleth pursed her lips. “You’ve searched the monastery and the town?”

Alois nodded. “We scoured them for hours, and we found no sign of them.”

“Have the missing students been identified?” She asked, worry starting to settle in her stomach.

“Three from the Green Dragon house, two from Red Run, and one of your students.”

Byleth froze. “Which one of my students?”

“A girl named Anastasia.”

“Oh no.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think Pegasus Knight/Wyvern Lord Byleth is pretty op, it’s fun to use the mobility granted from flying classes to cheese certain levels (I always beat the Fort Merceus battle in one turn with it), so I thought I’d throw in a pegasus for Byleth. 
> 
> Thanks for reading and stay safe!


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Henri gets a rude awakening and an assignment.

Henri was asleep when the church bells began ringing. It was well past the time when any self respecting person would be awake, and it would be thought that the bells would be a disturbance to any sleeping persons on the monastery grounds, but still they rang. It took his groggy mind a second to process what was going on when someone knocked on his door.

“Henri, are you awake?” an accented voice asked, a head poking in the door. In the dim lighting he couldn’t tell who it was. “The Monarch needs all Silver Snow students to report to the classroom immediately, there is an emergency.”

“Give me a moment, I will be there shortly,” he called, stifling a yawn.

“Hurry.”

The door shut and Henri tumbled out of bed, reaching for his boots and coat. What kind of emergency could be happening at two in the morning? It was possible there was a break in, though he doubted that the whole school would need to be up for it. Perhaps someone was trying to attack the monastery, though in this time of peace that was incredibly unlucky. 

He got dressed quickly and rushed out, falling instep beside one of his classmates, a taller girl with orange hair. “Serena,” he asked, “What’s the situation?”

She glared at him. “You think I know?” she snapped. 

“Sorry, I’m just confused as to what is going on.”

She gestured to the other students trickling down the hallway. “I don’t think any of us do.”

She quickened her pace and started weaving past other students, and he got the impression that she was trying to ditch him. He barely kept pace with her, and they went down the stairs towards the classroom. 

Inside, several other kids were already waiting; Henri recognized Ezra and Morgan trying to soothe an anxious Glenn, while Mika had a hand on Nicholas’s shoulder. Beth was sitting in her desk trying to be as small as she could. Beilen and Mazin walked in, whispering in their native language, followed by Tyrin wearing a ridiculously large nightshirt. Revera, Alberet, and Diana came in last, and none of them looked happy.

“Anyone know what’s going on?” Diana demanded, her arms folded. “I just managed to fall asleep and then I was rudely awoken.” She shot an icy glare at Revera, who scowled.

“The Monarch woke me up ten minutes ago and said that there were some missing students,” Morgan said. “She didn’t say anything other than to gather you all and wait here.”

“How do I know this isn’t some sort of elaborate prank?” Diana asked. 

Revera scoffed. “This is an emergency situation and you have the nerve to make this about you?” she muttered angrily. “What a princess.”

Diana turned to face Revera, and Henri watched as the girls started bickering again, just like they had in class yesterday. He stepped towards them, putting his hands up. “Now, now, let’s try to calm down-” he said gently, only to have Diana throw her hands up and storm out.

She reached the door and the Monarch burst in with the Sword of the Creator held in her right hand. She was panting as she counted them all.

“Good, you’re all here,” she said, breathing a sigh of relief. “I was so worried.”

Glenn almost immediately latched onto her, barely coming up to her shoulder. “What’s going on?” he asked, his voice squeaking.

The Monarch patted his head. She didn’t seem to be bothered by his sudden hug, though Henri thought it was rather inappropriate. “Anastasia is missing, along with a few other students from the other houses,” she said, adopting a commanding tone. “I need your help looking for her. When was the last time any of you saw her?”

“I saw her at dinner sitting with a purple haired girl,” Mika said.

“I bumped into her after the sermon walking with a boy with greenish hair,” Tyrin put in.

The Monarch frowned. “Did she talk to any of you?”

They shook their heads. 

“She’s kind of scary,” Nicholas said nervously.

The Monarch sighed, sheathing her sword. “Alright, then. It looks like we have to go out then. We’ll join with the Knights that are already searching for her, hopefully with more people we can cover more ground. Everyone, pair up, I’ll assign you all places to look. I know this isn’t what any of you wanted, it certainly isn’t what I had expected, but please, Anastasia could be in danger and it is imperative that we find her.”

The students began grouping up automatically, and Henri hesitantly turned to Serena, giving her a nervous smile. “Do you already have a partner?” he asked. 

She didn’t return the smile. “No. I guess that means I have to be with you.”

“Wonderful! I’m sure that if we work together, we-”

“Henri, are you and Serena partners?” The Monarch interrupted, approaching them. “I want you two to come with me.”

The other students had already been sent out when Henri followed the Monarch out of the classroom, Serena walking beside him. She absolutely refused to say a single word to him.

“You two are familiar with Fodlan’s history, aren’t you?” The Monarch asked while they walked. Henri nodded, his father had made sure that his education in Fodlan’s bloody past had been completed. Serena tensed.

“I’m almost certain Anastasia and the other students were kidnapped,” the Monarch continued, her voice low. “And I think you two are the perfect students to help me find her.”

“Where are we going, Professor?” Henri asked.

“The stables, to get horses for you two. You can both ride, correct?”

“I’ve been riding horses since I was young,” he replied. Serena just nodded.

“We’re going to go someplace I haven’t been in a long time,” the Monarch said grimly. “And it’ll take us some time to get there. I would warp us myself, but I need to conserve my magic in case we get in a fight. Oh, damn, I forgot to tell you to get weapons. Looks like we have to make a quick stop at the armory.”

They hurried to the armory, the Monarch walking in long, quick steps with Henri and Serena desperately trying to keep up. They crossed the grounds in minutes and Henri grabbed a lance and bow, while Serena picked up an axe. The Monarch gave them each a small blue sash and had them tie the sashes around their waists, then handed them both shimmering shields.

“This could potentially get dangerous fast, so I’m giving you these shields,” the Monarch explained, tying a red sash around her waist. “It’s complicated, but I will tell you that those sashes have the ability to give their wearers Crests. You each have one of the Crests associated with those shields.”

“These are Hero’s Relics?” Henri asked, awe in his voice.

“Not quite. They have similar properties though. Keep them close.”

“Any reason why you wanted us, instead of I don’t know, maybe the Knights?” Serena asked. 

“We’re going to get your parents,” the Monarch said. “They’re going to help us.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Henri is my Lorenz/Leonie son and I’m trying to make him like his father, Lorenz was kind of... interesting... during the pre timeskip so let’s hope Henri doesn’t fall too much in his footsteps.
> 
> Thank you for reading, hope you’re staying safe.

**Author's Note:**

> My first story that isn’t a one shot, wow! I’ve been working on this idea for a long time, ever since I finished my Blue Lions run. (It’s basically just an excuse for me to shout out my rare pairs and make a bunch of children for them :) )
> 
> Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for chapter two!


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